Hello everybody. I'm a proud new owner of a Wl HDD. I have the hope to make a kind of Wl 500g in a smaller shape, with the fast access to HD.

In the "how to save current firmware" tread, Antiloop tryed to flash Oleg's firmware in the Wl-HDD

to add some points..

the WL-HDD is able to serve as printserver too

i just flashed a 1.8.1.7pre3 into it and the thing booted normally but ofcourse acted as an wl500g but the ethernet port is the WAN port then so you have to login wirelessy otherwise you can't access it because of the firewall

some thinking of me, perhaps it's possible to remove the FTP from the firmware and put a firmware on the HDD itselve
this should enable us (ofcourse memory use is still a point!) to implement bigger packages

As far as I understand, I will have the following steps to take:

1) format a partition using ext3fs using a tool that I would have to copy in the temp directory from the web admin page on a usb key or on the HD

2) copy all files from the latest Oleg firmware root fs to this partition (should I take special methods as I'm working under Windows system?)

3) change the nvram setting to boot from this partition using something like :
nvram set boot_dev="/dev/scsi/host0/bus0/target0/lun0/part1"
nvram commit

If I understand correctly, if the WLHDD cannot find the system on the USB drive or HDD, then it will boot the normal system from internal memory, so I have a rollback by removing the drive and reformating it?

Can I do all this from the web interface, or I need telnet access? I couldn't start telnet until now as busybox doesn't give me any output (I'm using the one from Oleg's firmware)

Can anybody tell me if my asumption are correct and correct them if needed?

Thanks a lot

PS: As Antiloop tryed it, is it a viable solution to work with Oleg's firmware, if I'm ready to access the WL HDD from wireless and let the lan port be a wan port?

Antiloop

14-10-2004, 14:23

hm..?

as I said: 'i just flashed a 1.8.1.7pre3 into it '

I mean that i flashed it, so just enter restore mode of the wl-hdd:
power off, hold the button, power on till power led begins to flash then release the button and start firmware restoration at your pc

after it's finished turn off wl-hdd turn it on, start system
after that make sure you load the firmware defaults

at the moment you will NOT be able to access your harddrive

if things go well perhaps WL-HDD will be incorperated in current WL500g firmware

the lan port port is the 'WAN' port with the WL500g firmware (thus eth1)

hugo

14-10-2004, 15:53

Thanks for the confirmation. I wanted to use the external drive to be able to revert to WL HDD mode by just unpluging the usb key for example.

By the

at the moment you will NOT be able to access your harddrive
do you mean I cannot mount the device even by telnet and add the mount point to the stupid ftp?

Antiloop

14-10-2004, 16:33

Thanks for the confirmation. I wanted to use the external drive to be able to revert to WL HDD mode by just unpluging the usb key for example.

By the

do you mean I cannot mount the device even by telnet and add the mount point to the stupid ftp?
yes you can not mount the internal hdd because there are NO drivers supplied for the Promise controller inside the WL-HDD in the wl500g firmware

personally I would like to see the wl500g & wl-hdd firmware to be merged in one firmware, for the time being use one of it with their disadvantages..

hugo

14-10-2004, 21:16

power off, hold the button, power on till power led begins to flash then release the button and start firmware restoration at your pc

There is no point where the power led blinks. I tryed releasing it a different stages but it wont let me flash via wireless. If I hold the button too much, It simply shut down

As a side note, I can explain here upon request how to setup a root ftp and a telnet deamon on the WL HDD, as the instruction differs from the WL 500G.

Styno

14-10-2004, 22:49

There is no point where the power led blinks. I tryed releasing it a different stages but it wont let me flash via wireless. If I hold the button too much, It simply shut downHmmm, upgrading through wireless is dangerous....allways flash your firmware using a wire. If the router does not want to get in firmware restoration mode in any way then there's only one solution. That is to connect a certain pin of the broadcom chip to ground during boot. Search the forum, there are a lot of folks having problems after firmware upgrade.

As a side note, I can explain here upon request how to setup a root ftp and a telnet deamon on the WL HDD, as the instruction differs from the WL 500G.Why should it be on request? ;)

Antiloop

15-10-2004, 09:20

There is no point where the power led blinks. I tryed releasing it a different stages but it wont let me flash via wireless. If I hold the button too much, It simply shut down

As a side note, I can explain here upon request how to setup a root ftp and a telnet deamon on the WL HDD, as the instruction differs from the WL 500G.

erhz.. how are you supposed to flash wireless if the wireless device is shutdown during firmware restore mode ??

so connect by wire, assign static ip

power OFF the WL-HDD first
then press and HOLD the button
then power ON the WL-HDD
wait until the power led is going to blink
then release the button
start firmware restore from your pc (using the firmware restore util, the one from wl500g will do fine. I never used the one from wl-hdd cd)

woila new firmware

JOCKYW2001

15-10-2004, 11:31

As a side note, I can explain here upon request how to setup a root ftp and a telnet deamon on the WL HDD, as the instruction differs from the WL 500G.

Pls explain Hugo! I compiled vsftpd 2.0.1 and can't get it to run on my WL-HDD. It can't locate user "nobody" and I have no way to add users on my WL-HDD. By Oleg's suggestion I added /etc/passwd and /etc/group but it doesn't make a difference. Seems the WL-HDD runs as UID 0 with no users. Before I start patching vsftpd I wait for your instructions.

hugo

15-10-2004, 12:07

I have the add user problem also with stupid ftp. I would like to add users using the web interface, but It seems to only add up in the samba support.

I can only help to have access to the whole system, as anonymous. You can for sure extrapolate to create user account as you are probably more experienced than me in this thinks.

The 2 following posts will explain how to create the root ftp and how to access via telnet, so they can be pruned somewere else if needed

hugo

15-10-2004, 12:23

You can get access to the hard drive partition in /tmp/harddrive/part1 or partx. For the purpose of this setup, I've created 2 partitions using the web interface. One is the minimum 100 Mb, the other is the remaining space. They will be formated in ext2fs, so it allow us to work seemlesly on this partition and on the system.

First you have to go to the "secret" admin page:

http://wl-hdd/Main_AdmStatus_Content.asp

From there, if you type the ls command then click on refresh, you see that there are a lot of pages available, but they only set up nvram parameters, as they are probably missing the firewall or ppoe files.

First, copy your stupid ftp conf file from this page:

cp /tmp/stupid-ftpd.conf /tmp/harddisk/part1/stupid-ftpd.conf

if you are ready to copy it on you first partition (add subfolders if needed)

Then you need to edit your stupid-ftp.conf using a good editor that keeps the unix formating (like ultraedit, not notepad if you are working under windows)
As it is on your first hard drive partition, you can fetch the file using ftp or normal network access on the root of your first partition.

Find the line starting with serverroot=/tmp/harddisk/part1 and replace it by serverroot=/

now you have to kill the old ftp deamon. Probably that a killall would have a lot more options, but my simple method (i'm rusty on linux) is to use ps -aux in the admin page, find the stupid ftp line, get the PID (the first number in the row) then type kill -9 xx where xx is the number

EDIT: a

killall stupid-ftpd

do the whole trick

all this must be typed then followed by the refresh button, not enter.

hi,
@hugo
thanks a lot for the handy instructions to start telnet and get root access with stupid ftp.

cu,
peter

hugo

15-10-2004, 19:12

start firmware restore from your pc (using the firmware restore util, the one from wl500g will do fine. I never used the one from wl-hdd cd)

It won't go. The led is flashing, but the firmware utility start connecting
(upload system recovery file)
then stop after a few second without any progress bar, saying
"Upload fail, please check the connection" device is pingable, wl-hdd is 192.168.2.1, pc is 192.168.2.2 on class C subnet with direct cable connection

BTW, led won't flash until something is plugged in lan port

yes you can not mount the internal hdd because there are NO drivers supplied for the Promise controller inside the WL-HDD in the wl500g firmware

Is it just a matter of coping the .o files in the /lib/modules/2.4.20/kernel/drivers/ide subfolder before making the firmware? or does it need more work?

Antiloop

15-10-2004, 19:17

It won't go. The led is flashing, but the firmware utility start connecting
(upload system recovery file)
then stop after a few second without any progress bar, saying
"Upload fail, please check the connection" device is pingable, wl-hdd is 192.168.2.1, pc is 192.168.2.2 on class C subnet with direct cable connection

BTW, led won't flash until something is plugged in lan port

Is it just a matter of coping the .o files in the /lib/modules/2.4.20/kernel/drivers/ide subfolder before making the firmware? or does it need more work?
is the IP static ? if not than that is causing the problem, I have the same issue when my ip is set to auto

hugo

15-10-2004, 19:49

all is static, in same subnet, factory reseted

I can upgrade the firmware using the web page, but it won't accept oleg's one of course, only asus ones

Antiloop

15-10-2004, 21:36

all is static, in same subnet, factory reseted

I can upgrade the firmware using the web page, but it won't accept oleg's one of course, only asus ones

are you sure it is in restoration mode ? e.g. can you access websetup at moment when powerled is flashing (e.g. the powerled flashes also when you shutdown the wl-hdd inproperly)

hugo

15-10-2004, 22:32

I'm quite sure now the firmware restoration mode is tricky to get to.

I'm positive I had a one point the firmware mode set on the wl-hdd. The power led was blinking as soon as I plugged the power cord.

After flashing the 1.1.2.6, I cannot go back to this mode. I tried to keep the button pressed before unplugging and after, to press it once the power cord is removed and wait, but everytime now it goes to normal boot cycle.

It scares me to think I don't have a reliable way to go to emergency update mode. It probably depends on the way it is shut down as I could get into the right mode after unplugging the power cord without waiting for a full shutdown (and no, it wasn't the blink from the bad file system check because I could start the firmware utility and get it to see the wl hdd)

i'll try to go on my tests.

back to the firmware topic:

I'm now quite sure it would be easy to get oleg firmware working on the wl hdd, using some instmod with the ide folder included in the root fs

Is it something hard to try (even if we have to do the insmod manually afterward?)

hugo

17-10-2004, 17:19

Pls explain Hugo! I compiled vsftpd 2.0.1 and can't get it to run on my WL-HDD. It can't locate user "nobody" and I have no way to add users on my WL-HDD. By Oleg's suggestion I added /etc/passwd and /etc/group but it doesn't make a difference. Seems the WL-HDD runs as UID 0 with no users. Before I start patching vsftpd I wait for your instructions.

You probably already know this, but the stupid-ftpd.conf and other process are probably created from a script similar to /usr/sbin/hdsvr-start script. You understand by reading it that it define after startup the conf file. We could probably change this file from the source to get a new behaviour.

Antiloop

17-10-2004, 17:55

I'm quite sure now the firmware restoration mode is tricky to get to.

I'm positive I had a one point the firmware mode set on the wl-hdd. The power led was blinking as soon as I plugged the power cord.

After flashing the 1.1.2.6, I cannot go back to this mode. I tried to keep the button pressed before unplugging and after, to press it once the power cord is removed and wait, but everytime now it goes to normal boot cycle.

It scares me to think I don't have a reliable way to go to emergency update mode. It probably depends on the way it is shut down as I could get into the right mode after unplugging the power cord without waiting for a full shutdown (and no, it wasn't the blink from the bad file system check because I could start the firmware utility and get it to see the wl hdd)

i'll try to go on my tests.

back to the firmware topic:

I'm now quite sure it would be easy to get oleg firmware working on the wl hdd, using some instmod with the ide folder included in the root fs

Is it something hard to try (even if we have to do the insmod manually afterward?)

you must be doing something wrong..
firmware restore is not tricky it's even better than flashing via websetup

it is just like this

power OFF
be sure there is an cable at the ethernet port (how else would you flash the firmware ?)
press and HOLD the button
insert the power cord
wait until the PWR led is going to flash (no other ligth may light up)
then release the button

and you are able to flash via the tool at your windows pc

firmwares do not alter your pmon, if your pmon is defective your device would not boot up at all

hugo

17-10-2004, 18:32

Got my answer. The network card is also very important: It must be a 10/100, not only 10 Mb.

Once plugged to my old linksys router, all went well. The firmware restoration mode goes everytime well.

The admin password is not admin/admin, nor the one I had set, so I will have to go back to the old firmware to clear any password, but I will be able to update next time.

EDIT: Got the passwor: It's [blank]/admin

peewee

20-10-2004, 13:14

To get access using telnet to your Wl HDD, you first have to get the telnetd file here:

http://files.wl500g.info/asus/wl500g/telnetd/telnetd

Be sure to get a 324 k file, not a 20 k file. Be sure to use left click, and to let it save on the HD

Copy this file on your first WL HDD partition. It probably have to be formated with ext2fs, so you might have to create a smaller partition to store your system files

Use normal ftp or samba access to save this file

I can't seem to get hold of this file. When I left-click me IE browser opens with code inside and when I right-click with save as, I get the 20 k file :(

Can anyone help?

Antiloop

20-10-2004, 13:35

Got my answer. The network card is also very important: It must be a 10/100, not only 10 Mb.

Once plugged to my old linksys router, all went well. The firmware restoration mode goes everytime well.

The admin password is not admin/admin, nor the one I had set, so I will have to go back to the old firmware to clear any password, but I will be able to update next time.

EDIT: Got the passwor: It's [blank]/admin

you have to restore settings to default first!

getting blank/admin means you didn't do this

Antiloop

20-10-2004, 13:37

I can't seem to get hold of this file. When I left-click me IE browser opens with code inside and when I right-click with save as, I get the 20 k file :(

Can anyone help?
browse to it via: http://wl500g.info/forumdisplay.php?f=70

hugo

20-10-2004, 13:44

you have to restore settings to default first!

getting blank/admin means you didn't do this
You cannot restore settings before connecting. This looks like a normal behaviour when you switch from HDD firmware to 500 one.

Then I could set the factory default and use a new password. But this is just something to know. Now everything is ok.

peewee

20-10-2004, 13:57

browse to it via: http://wl500g.info/forumdisplay.php?f=70

Sorry, I still can't get it. Can you mail it to me? or can I download it with FTP?

hugo

20-10-2004, 16:16

Sorry, I still can't get it. Can you mail it to me? or can I download it with FTP?

Try this one

Antiloop

20-10-2004, 20:46

You cannot restore settings before connecting. This looks like a normal behaviour when you switch from HDD firmware to 500 one.

Then I could set the factory default and use a new password. But this is just something to know. Now everything is ok.
??

restoring goes via the 'restore button'

press and hold the button while the wl-hdd is already running
the powerled will flash 1 or 2 times and it will reboot then your settings resetted to default

hugo

20-10-2004, 21:13

??

restoring goes via the 'restore button'

press and hold the button while the wl-hdd is already running
the powerled will flash 1 or 2 times and it will reboot then your settings resetted to default

This is not the standard behavious on my wl hdd.

Pressing the button long enough will simply shut down the device. I have only one button. Also this function is firmware dependent. For example, with the 1.1.2.7 modified one from the forum, the button doesn't do anything anymore, probably because the watchdog is not here anymore.

Anyway, this is not very important. I have a working procedure to flash my unit, and this is what matters.

Antiloop

21-10-2004, 09:19

This is not the standard behavious on my wl hdd.

Pressing the button long enough will simply shut down the device. I have only one button. Also this function is firmware dependent. For example, with the 1.1.2.7 modified one from the forum, the button doesn't do anything anymore, probably because the watchdog is not here anymore.

Anyway, this is not very important. I have a working procedure to flash my unit, and this is what matters.
well it is about the wl500g firmware, thus pressing the button reset the unit to defaults that is normal behaviour for wl500g firmware

and about 1.1.2.7 that's perhaps true yes, as it doesn't monitor the button anymore